Cross Checking Hearts (MM Romance): A Steamy MM Hockey Romance About a Closeted NHL Captain, a Fearless Rookie, and the Forbidden Love That Could Change the Game (Between the Lines Book 1)

HE SPENT HIS LIFE PLAYING BY THE RULES.UNTIL LOVE CHANGED THE GAME.Ryan Blake is the perfect captain.Fourteen seasons in the NHL. Leader of the Boston Sentinels. A reputation built on discipline, control, and absolute professionalism. In a league where image is everything, Ryan has spent his entire career protecting one secret: the truth about who he really is.Then Liam Carter crashes into his life.Liam is the Sentinels’ newest rookie—a fearless winger from Montana with lightning speed, a cocky grin, and absolutely no filter. After an explosive on-ice clash during Liam’s debut game, Ryan is forced to mentor the reckless newcomer.It’s supposed to be punishment.Instead, it becomes something far more dangerous.The chemistry between them is immediate—and impossible to ignore. On the ice, they become unstoppable. Off the ice, the tension builds with every glance, every late-night strategy session, every moment spent too close in empty locker rooms and quiet hotel rooms.For Liam, attraction is nothing new. He’s never hidden who he is.For Ryan, it threatens everything.His captaincy.His reputation.His career.As the Sentinels fight their way toward the playoffs, their connection deepens into a secret relationship neither man expected. But in the high-pressure world of professional hockey—where media scrutiny is relentless and old traditions die hard—one wrong move could destroy both their futures.Liam is tired of hiding.Ryan is terrified of being exposed.When rumors begin swirling and the stakes climb higher than ever, Ryan must make the hardest decision of his life: protect the career he built… or finally fight for the love he never believed he deserved.Because sometimes the greatest risk isn’t losing the game.It’s never stepping onto the ice at all.Cross-Checking Hearts is a steamy MM sports romance filled with slow-burn tension, forbidden attraction, found family, locker room drama, and a powerful coming-out journey. Perfect for readers who love emotional hockey romance, opposites-attract relationships, and stories about courage, identity, and choosing love against the odds. Read more